In 1908, a 13-year-old Black girl from Cleveland named Marie Bolden made history as the first national spelling bee champion—and her win sent shockwaves across the country.But instead of celebrating her brilliance, the system tried to erase it.When Marie beat out 33 white competitors at a national competition hosted by the National Education Association, Southern outrage erupted. In New Orleans, white school officials faced immense backlash simply for allowing white children to sit next to Black